2000
#5,304
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,043
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.24
Rare Last name
Saechao
A Chinese surname of uncertain meaning, possibly referring to a place of origin or a profession.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 6,898 Americans carry the last name Saechao. That puts it at #5,577 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.01 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 49,689 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Saechao surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
6.9K
1 in 49,689
Census rank
#5,577
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
6.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 6,015 bearers of the surname Saechao in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.01 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 5577th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Saechao, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.9%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Saechao
The surname SAECHAO originated in Laos, a landlocked country located in Southeast Asia. It is believed to have emerged during the 14th century, when the Lao people were establishing their distinct cultural identity separate from neighboring nations like Thailand and Vietnam.
SAECHAO is derived from the Lao language and is a combination of two words: "sae" meaning "prosperity" or "fortune," and "chao" which translates to "lord" or "master." This suggests that the name may have been initially bestowed upon individuals of high social standing or those who were considered prosperous and influential within their communities.
The earliest known records of the SAECHAO surname can be found in ancient Lao manuscripts and inscriptions dating back to the 15th century. Some of these documents mention the name in connection with prominent figures in Lao history, such as Chao Saechao, a respected leader from the Kingdom of Lan Xang, who ruled in the late 16th century.
One of the most notable individuals bearing the SAECHAO name was Phra Saechao, a revered Buddhist monk and scholar who lived during the 17th century. He was renowned for his contributions to the preservation and promotion of Lao culture and literature, including the compilation of various religious texts and historical chronicles.
Another significant figure was Thao Saechao, a military commander who played a pivotal role in the defense of Laos against Siamese invasions in the early 19th century. His bravery and leadership during these conflicts have made him a celebrated figure in Lao history.
In the late 19th century, a man named Kham Saechao gained recognition as a skilled artisan and craftsman, known for his intricate woodcarvings and metalwork. His creations can still be found in various temples and museums across Laos, showcasing the country's rich artistic heritage.
As the Lao diaspora spread to other parts of the world, the SAECHAO surname has been carried along with it. One notable individual is Manivanh Saechao, a Lao-American artist and writer who has contributed significantly to the preservation and promotion of Lao culture through her literary works and artistic endeavors.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Saechao
Among Census respondents with the surname Saechao, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.9%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Saechao bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Saechao surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander92.4% · 5,555
- Two or more races3.9% · 232
- Hispanic or Latino1.9% · 116
- White1.6% · 95
- Black or African American0.2% · 12
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Saechao
Saechao appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#5,425
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,419
+376 bearers (+6.2%)
Per 100,000 2.18
Rank movement Down 121 places
2020
#5,577
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,015
-404 bearers (-6.3%)
Per 100,000 2.01
Rank movement Down 152 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #5,304 | 6,043 | 2.24 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #5,425 | 6,419 | 2.18 | +376 bearers (+6.2%) | Down 121 places |
| 2020 | #5,577 | 6,015 | 2.01 | -404 bearers (-6.3%) | Down 152 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Saechao surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #5,425 | #5,577 | -2.8% |
| Count | 6,419 | 6,015 | -6.3% |
| Per 100K | 2.18 | 2.01 | -7.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Saechao bearers went from 6,419 to 6,015 (-6.3% change). The surname moved down 152 positions in the national ranking, going from #5,425 to #5,577.
FAQ
Saechao surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Saechao?
Name Census estimates that about 6,898 living Americans carry the surname Saechao. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 49,689 residents.
How common is Saechao?
Saechao ranks #5,577 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.01 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 6,015 people with the surname Saechao. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (6,898), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.01 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.01 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Saechao.
Has Saechao become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Saechao went from 6,419 recorded bearers to 6,015. That is a decrease of 404 (-6.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #5,425 to #5,577.
What does the Census say about the background of Saechao?
Among Census respondents with the surname Saechao, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.9%) and Hispanic (1.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Saechao in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.4% (5,555 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Saechao appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (92.4%), Two or More Races (3.9%), Hispanic (1.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Saechao (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Saechao mean?
A Chinese surname of uncertain meaning, possibly referring to a place of origin or a profession. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Saechao (2.01 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Saechao?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.